Australian medical staff deploy to Papua New Guinea

  • Joint media release

Aspart of Australia's post-earthquake assistance to Papua New Guinea, anAustralian Medical Assistance Team (AUSMAT) has travelled to Papua New Guineato assist with health needs following the 7.5 magnitude earthquake that hit theHighlands region on 26 February.

TheUN estimates that 270,000 people in the Highlands require immediatehumanitarian assistance, including more than 18,000 who are living inevacuation centres. An assessment by PNG authorities shows that 25 out of 77health facilities in the two worst-affected provinces, Hela and SouthernHighlands, have been destroyed or forced to close.

The15-member AUSMAT team arrived in Papua New Guinea on 26 March and has deployedto Mendi Hospital in the Southern Highlands Province. These Australian doctorsand nurses will work with Papua New Guinean health workers to provide emergencyhealth services, including maternal and child health care, to those in need.

Thespecialists will also work with local health officials and humanitarianorganisations to address public health issues and reduce the potential fordisease outbreaks.

AUSMAT is one of the fewnational Emergency Medical Teams globally-verified by the World HealthOrganisation. The team going to PNG is drawn from state and territory-basedhealth services including the Northern Territory, New South Wales, Victoria andTasmania. AUSMAT is coordinated by the National Critical Care and Trauma ResponseCentre (NCCTRC) in Darwin.

Thesupport is in addition to $5 million in humanitarian support and the deploymentof the ADF personnel and assets to assist in the response.

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